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Teens hurling slushies and slurs in Gay Village

Jarvis Collegiate’s principal said allegations that students are hurling slushies, shoes and homophobic slurs are being taken very seriously.

Enza Anderson is organizing a public meeting after a group of teens near Jarvis Collegiate shouted homophobic slurs and threw slushies at a man in the Gay Village. (TARA WALTON / TORONTO STAR) | Order this photo

By Chloé FedioStaff Reporter

Mon., Jan. 24, 2011

NOTE: This article has been edited from a previous version.

The principal of Jarvis Collegiate Institute said allegations that students are hurling slushies, shoes and homophobic slurs at residents of the Gay Village are being “treated very seriously.”

However, Enza Anderson, who has been harassed in the past, called the students “teens of terror” and has organized a public meeting to discuss what she describes as homophobia in the community after a recent attack.

Paul Winsor, a local florist, was singled out by a group of about 12 students who soaked him with two frozen beverages last Monday.

The 49-year-old narrowly dodged an airborne chunk of ice as he chased the teens before they ducked into the school at Jarvis and Wellesley Sts.

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“A slushie drink is one thing — it stains your clothes and hurts your pride — but when it escalates to chunks of ice, that’s dangerous,” he said.

The “slushie facial” is a popular form of bullying on the musical TV series Glee. Winsor is relieved the frozen Coke beverages missed his face, but his red Canada goose coat was soaked. Winsor ran into a friend a few minutes after the slushie attack who’d been targeted with ice and been called ‘faggot.’

Police increased patrols in the area after a crossing guard was also targeted by students. School principal Elizabeth Addo said she’s working with police in their investigation.

“Any reports or concerns that are brought forward from the community are treated very seriously and are investigated,” she said, adding that if the students are identified they will be disciplined. “It could be anything from a counselling conversation to suspension. We do respond.”

Winsor said the school and police have been very supportive.

“I’m really happy with the way they’ve addressed it and the steps they’ve taken,” he said.

But while Winsor said homophobic taunts happen “more often than people realize” in the Gay Village, he’s not convinced the teens are motivated by hate.

“In my mind, it’s a bunch of teenagers behaving badly all around. I think it’s general hooliganism,” he said. “It’s a crime of opportunity — whoever happens to be around.”

Anderson disagrees. She’s hosting a public meeting on Feb. 9 at the 519 Church Street Community Centre to discuss how the school can play a larger role in educating students about their community.

“These kids promote violence by calling people ‘faggot’ and doing what they’re doing,” she said.

Last winter, Anderson said a teen picked up an abandoned shoe and whipped it across Alexander St., near Jarvis Collegiate. It only narrowly missed her head. A couple of weeks ago she was taunted by a teenage girl near the school who called her “sir.” The 47-year-old transsexual has lived as a woman for more than a decade.

“I live, work and function female,” she said. “These kids aren’t being educated about where they live. They need to be taught that their school is in the Gay Village.”

Kristyn Wong-Tam, Ward 27 councillor, said her office has not received any complaints about the school but added that the allegations were alarming.

“I am taking this very seriously,” she said. “If there are one or two individuals that are perpetuating this type of behaviour then I’m worried about the student body. Sometimes homophobic bullying takes place on the school grounds before you see it manifest itself elsewhere.”

Addo said the school has a diverse staff and student body that participate in a range of inclusive activities, including an annual anti-homophobic awareness week every May. “Teens of terror” just doesn’t fit, she said.

“I don’t think it’s a fair characterization. There’s a lot of good activities and contributions that the school makes to the community,” she said.

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